Vet It Before You Get It by the British College of Aesthetic Medicine (BCAM) urges people to check who is treating them, what products are being used and whether the clinic is medically regulated, as new data shows a steep rise in botched procedures.

Dr Sophie Shotter, BCAM president, said: ‘Doctors are seeing patients suffer at the hands of under-qualified injectors. Regulation is no longer optional, it is urgent.'

BCAM's Annual Clinical Review 2025, based on evidence from 383 doctors and dentists practising aesthetics, revealed: 3,002 complications treated by BCAM doctors in 2024 ;  67% caused by non-medical practitioners; 87% involved dermal fillers; 1,239 filler and 668 toxin cases linked to beauticians; and 264 laser burns and 85 thread-lift complications.

The campaign provides a six-step checklist designed to be sent to clinics before booking a first appointment covering practitioner credentials, medical supervision, insurance, product sourcing, emergency protocol and clinic governance.

It also includes Vet It Before You Get It Toxin and Filler Safety Guides to help patients recognise legitimate products.

Sadie Van Sanden Cooke, BCAM chief operating officer, said: ‘This campaign unites clinicians, media and sector in raising standards and protecting patients from the growing risks of unregulated practice.'